The Denver Nuggets basketball team, based in Denver, Colorado, has undergone five distinct logo redesigns throughout its history. The current logo has been in use, with subtle changes, since 1994.

Meaning and history

The Denver Nuggets' visual identity has been shaped around two main themes: Maxie the Miner, the team's beloved mascot, and the mountain peaks, symbolizing the club’s connection to the Rocky Mountains and its home state of Colorado. The Nuggets have made multiple changes to their logo over the years, each one reflecting the evolution of the team and its place in the NBA.

What are the Denver Nuggets?

The Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. Established in 1967, the team is currently a member of the NBA and plays its home games at Ball Arena. Michael Malone serves as the head coach of the Nuggets.

1967 – 1971: Denver Rockets Logo

The first logo, used when the team was known as the Denver Rockets, featured a minimalist design with a red basketball set against a white circle. The circle was outlined in black and red, with the word "Rockets" displayed on a horizontal banner. The inscription "Denver Kingsby System" appeared around the ball's perimeter, giving the logo a clean and professional look.

1971 – 1974: Denver Rockets Logo

In 1971, the team underwent a redesign, shifting to a yellow and purple color scheme. The new logo depicted a playful rocket running with a basketball, set against a backdrop of mountain peaks. The word "Rockets" was displayed around the logo's circular perimeter in purple sans-serif type.

1974 – 1976: Denver Nuggets Logo

Following the 1974 ABA-NBA merger, the team was renamed the Denver Nuggets. Their new logo, introduced in 1974, featured a cartoonish, blue, red, and white image of Maxie the Miner, a character that would become synonymous with the team. Maxie was depicted jumping above a bold sans-serif inscription of the word "Nuggets" in red and blue.

1976 – 1981: Denver Nuggets Logo

In the late 1970s, the Nuggets updated their logo, retaining Maxie the Miner but refining his image with cleaner lines and bolder colors. The red tones in Maxie’s clothing and beard were darkened, giving the logo a stronger, more vibrant appearance.

1981 – 1993: Denver Nuggets Logo

The 1981 redesign embraced a "disco-style" theme, featuring a half-circle emblem with a rainbow gradient. The background displayed the Denver landscape with white mountain peaks. The logo's black wordmark was placed beneath the image, creating a striking contrast.

1993 – 2003: Denver Nuggets Logo

The 1993 redesign saw a more sophisticated and elegant badge, featuring a royal blue and white mountain, a red arched banner with "Denver" written on it, and a bold gold "Nuggets" inscription in a serif typeface. This logo gave the team a sleek, modern look.

2003 – 2008: Denver Nuggets Logo

In 2003, the Nuggets updated their color palette, using lighter shades of blue and yellow. This refreshed palette brought a brighter, more energetic feel to the logo, symbolizing the team's growth and progress.

2008 – 2018: Denver Nuggets Logo

The 2008 iteration deepened the blue and yellow tones to make the colors more intense. The arched banner was also altered to a light blue hue, representing the cold, snowy Colorado mountains, and reinforcing the team's connection to its local environment.

2018 – Present: Denver Nuggets Logo

In 2018, the Nuggets unveiled a completely new logo. The design features a dark blue circular badge with a white outline, accented by yellow and red. In the center, two miner’s hammers cross above a yellow and white basketball, set against a backdrop of mountain peaks. The team’s name, written in white, surrounds the emblem’s perimeter, separated by two yellow stars.

Font

The font used for "Nuggets" closely resembles Aachen Bold, a slab serif typeface created by Colin Brignall. The clean, bold lines of this font lend a strong and timeless quality to the logo.

Colors

The Nuggets logo uses a combination of blue, yellow, and red, reflecting the team’s bold and energetic character, as well as its ties to the state of Colorado.

• Midnight Blue
  • Pantone: PMS 289 C
  • HEX: #0E2240
  • RGB: (13, 34, 64)
  • CMYK: (100, 76, 12, 70)
• Sunshine Yellow
  • Pantone: PMS 123 C
  • HEX: #FEC524
  • RGB: (255, 198, 39)
  • CMYK: (0, 24, 91, 0)
• Flatirons Red
  • Pantone: PMS 202 C
  • HEX: #8B2131
  • RGB: (139, 35, 50)
  • CMYK: (29, 96, 76, 29)
• Skyline Blue
  • Pantone: PMS 7687 C
  • HEX: #1D428A
  • RGB: (29, 66, 138)
  • CMYK: (100, 86, 15, 3)